Start of Tommy Lynam Midsummer 5km in Raheny
David Fitzmaurice and Ailish Malone made it a host club double at the 120th Clonliffe 2-Mile on the traditional Finglas to Glasnevin route finishing outside the Kavanagh Grave Diggers. The lead pack including Raheny’s Vinnie Mulvey, the Clonliffe trio of Fitzmaurice, Gary O’Hanlon and Ian Guiden and Rathfarnham’s Paul Fleming, reached the first mile in around 4.25. Fitzmaurice applied the pressure on the uphill stretch that followed and held on for victory in 9 minutes 4 seconds, with Mulvey ten seconds behind and O’Hanlon third.
Malone clocked 10 minutes 56 seconds to finish first woman, ahead of Dunboyne’s Fiona Reid and Louise Reilly also Clonliffe. First juniors were Ian Guiden and Lorna Begley, both of the host club. At the back of the field, big cheers were reserved for Eugene Kavanagh, sponsor of the race for the past 25 years, running the race along with the next two generations of Kavanaghs.
Next up for Clonliffe in this their 125th anniversary year is the Clonliffe 125 Track and Field Grand Prix on Friday July 8 in Santry (7pm). Highlight of the night will be the Morton Mile – a distance which is run all too rarely on the track these days.
In August 1958, the world mile record was broken in Santry when the Australian athlete Herb Elliott ran a time of 3 mins 54.5 secs. Few have gone faster – the American Steve Scott’s stadium record set in 1980 is 3:53.8 and a €1,000 bonus awaits the first athlete to improve on that time.
Among those lining out will be Alistair Cragg, who has run 3:55.04 for the mile indoors.
Leading the entry for the 100m is Paralympian Jason Smyth who has been training in the USA. He is part of a strong Paralympian entry, many of them chasing London 2012 qualification marks.
Also scheduled are Irish Milers Club races over 800m and 1500m, plus 3000m and 400m races and a junior mile. Field events scheduled are the pole vault, discus and high jump.
Highlight of the evening will be the unveiling of a special 1958 Morton Mile audio plinth. This audio and photographic display will recreate the sights and sounds of the mile and two mile world records set on August 6 and 7 1958.
Updates at www.clonliffeharriers.com.
GREAT VALUE IN CO MEATH
Races in Co Meath are getting record numbers this year and why not? They offer great value on relatively traffic-free roads less than half an hour from the capital.
Last week, almost 500 turned out for the Braveheart 5km in Trim. Although the start and finish were crowded, it was still a great night. Neville Reilly beat Paul Gleeson for overall victory in 16 mins 21 secs. First woman was Fiona Mahon.
This weekend Dunshaughlin hosts the Michael Manning 10km for a 32nd year on Saturday evening.
As one of the original 10km races in this country, Dunshaughlin has always attracted a healthy crowd, lured by a fast course and superb organisation. For your €12 entry fee (€15 on day), there are t-shirts for the first 500, chip timing, and lots of post-race goodies. Upfront, a bonus of €100 is offered for a course record – under 29 mins 21 secs for men and 34 mins 40secs for women.
HEAD FOR STRAWBERRY FAIR
A five-mile fun run has been added to Sunday’s Strawberry Half Marathon Festival in Enniscorthy on Sunday (10.0). The 5-miler starts at 11am, an hour after the half marathon, and uses the same finish. Also scheduled is a 15km walk and a children’s run. All finishers get a medal and lots of goodies including tea and sandwiches. Winners last year were Sergiu Ciobanu in 68 mins 26 secs and Linda Byrne in 76:38.
A RACE A NIGHT!
Last week, you could have run a race almost every night of the week. On Friday, Michael Shannon of Kilnaboy won the Ger Mullane 10km in 33 mins 1 sec. Rosemary Ryan of Bilboa was first women in 36.08.
Matt Kane won a shortened Bloomsday Run on Sandymount Strand finishing in 13 mins 15 secs. Stephen Moore was second and DSD veteran Pat McCavana third. Catherine Thornton was 15th and first woman in 16.47, with Aoife Quigley two places behind.
At the BHAA Trinity Track races, an astonishing 49 turned out for the open 3000m. Winner was Jonathan Daly in 9 mins 52 secs. Winner of the team 3000m, with 26 starters, were William Morris and Edel Madigan. Also taking place were nine 800m and nine mile races. Next up for the BHAA the Prison Services trail 5km in the Phoenix Park on Tuesday June 28.
BRITTON STARS IN TURKEY
Stars of the Irish team at the European Team Championships in Turkey were Fionnuala Britton 2nd 5000m and Kourosh Foroughi third in the high jump. At the IMC GV Ryan Meet in Irishtown, Anthony Leighio of Tallaght won the 800m in 1:50.14, with Kelly McNeice of Lisburn winning the women’s event in 2:07.16. North Laois’s Dan Mulhare won a competitive 5000m in 14:11.18, beating John Coghlan of MSB. Younger athletes face a demanding weekend, with the Aviva Tailteann Schools Interpo in Santry on Saturday and the Woodies DOY Junior and U-23 Championships in Tullamore on Sunday.
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